Unspecified: Lead Technical Architect

Armed with your understanding of how layers of technology, infrastructure and usability underpin a successful web app, you’ll plan and build the company’s flagship product.

While you’ll be an architect first and coder second, this is very much “roll-up-your-sleeves” work. You’ll select base technologies that will scaffold the most robust and scalable application/platform possible, integrating APIs, relational databases, cross-browser development, and more in your long-term plan.

Enjoying both salary and options, the small team you’ll join is lead by two successful entrepreneurs – both with expertise running and selling venture-funded companies.

They are looking for you to put your signature on a yet-formless application and platform. You’ll contribute not only your technical expertise, but lend business wisdom and insight – as well as the ability to fight in the trenches and build a polished product.

Although I haven’t received any official information about the company’s name, the information that I have received implies that this is a startup we’ve listed a job for before, but not for this role. I won’t clarify further, since the information I’ve received may be considered confidential.

The Good
This is a pretty senior role, and it sounds like an opportunity to make your mark with a startup. The startup also sounds like it’s at least moderately well-funded. If this is the company that I believe it is, they’ve recently received a multi-million dollar investment that should last a little bit. The technology stack sounds pretty wide-open. If it’s true that it’s founded by serial entrepreneurs with a clear track record, that could be positive.

The Bad
If this is the company that I think it is, they had a senior technical guy on staff who was eventually titled CTO. Is he still there? If so, can’t he fill this role? If he isn’t , why isn’t he?

What’s Missing?
Most of the specifics. What’s the company? Where are they located? What’s the compensation like, and does it include benefits? Is there a team of people you’d be working with on the implementation? What’s the size and composition of that team? What is your relationship with said team? What would you be building? What’s the profit model?

YMMV
Not everyone wants to work for a startup. Compensation tends to be lower, with some kind of salary-equity tradeoff, although this isn’t always true in funded startups. Not everyone has and/or wants to apply this kind of cross-technology skillset. And if this is the company that I think it is, not everyone will be excited by their business model.

In Summary
If being a lead technical architect for a startup sounds like your idea of fun, then it’s probably worth talking to these people in more detail to get the information you’re missing.